Home Antioch Antioch Police to Lose Two Funded Positions in Proposed 2014-15 Draft Budget

Antioch Police to Lose Two Funded Positions in Proposed 2014-15 Draft Budget

by ECT

The Antioch City Council will review the Draft Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2014-15 Tuesday night which shows the Antioch Police Department will have 125.90 positions funded which is two less than approved from last years budget.

Overall, the 2014/15 Operating Budget ensures the city will have its 10-15% reserves over the next two years and according to the City Manager, Measure C funding will go where its intended to be spent per the direction of the Antioch City Council.

Here is a look at the proposed Police Department Budget for 2014/15

Antioch Fiscal Year 14.15 Police Staffing edit
Click to enlarge

According to the proposed budget, 125.90 positions are to be funded in 2014/15 and currently as of May 31, a total of 109.40 positions are filled. Compared to Fiscal Year 2013/14, a total of 2013/14, a total of 113.40 positions were funded.

Even with the anticipated $4 million in Measure C revenue coming in, Antioch Police overall lost 2 full-time positions.  The budget from Fiscal Year 2013/14, it shows there were a total of 127.40 positions were funded.

The staffing does show an increase of the following within the Department:

  • 10 police officers
  • 1 additional community service officer
  • 1 administrative analyst
  • 1 crime analyst
  • 1 police communications supervisor

When comparing the Community Policing figures, 2013-14 allowed for a total of 77.80 positions, while this year’s budget allows for 100.9 positions—a difference of 23.1 positions and more officers on the street.

One major difference in budgeting from last year is it shows a total of 174.10 positions were authorized. This year’s budget has removed the “authorized FTE” from public view.

Overall, the City of Antioch will add a total of 14.25 positions citywide which is shown in the graphic below.

Antioch 2014.2015 new positions

Here is a look at the letter from City Manager Steve Duran to the Council

Honorable Mayor and City Council:

With this transmittal I submit the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 City of Antioch budget. This work included four council work sessions and formal council meetings, in which every fund was reviewed by the City Council and staff. The City Council has directed and staff has delivered a budget that directs all Measure C revenues to the Police Department and Code Enforcement while minimizing the structural deficit in the City’s General Fund. The City is projected to maintain the City’s policy of a General Fund reserve of between 10-15% for the next two years.

Over the past seven years, the City has been negatively impacted by a long recession that reduced property values and commercial activity. These economic impacts severely reduced City revenues, especially property tax and sales tax. Because approximately 71% of the City’s General Fund expenditures are in personnel costs, the City had to significantly reduce its workforce, resulting in 134 unfunded positions in the current year: a 33% reduction in staffing.

These negative impacts prompted the City to put Measure C on the ballot to raise sales taxes by ½ percent for seven years. The passage of Measure C by over 68% shows that the residents of Antioch understand to seriousness of the City’s financial challenges. However, Measure C is not a cure all. Although Measure C funds will be used to help the Police Department staff up over the next two to three years, the City’s General Fund is projected to run a structural deficit for the foreseeable future, with large and unsustainable deficits starting in fiscal year 2016-2017.

On the positive side, Antioch is headed in a positive direction. Property values have been increasing and applications for new development are also on the rise. The City also completed the annexation of over 500 acres along the northeastern waterfront, which is already attracting interest from commercial investors.

Tough decisions have been made in recent years to enable the City to provide the best services to the people of Antioch under severe budget constraints. Now we need to accelerate the City’s growth out of the recession through economic development, as well as other revenue enhancement and cost reducing strategies.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

We have closed the prior budget period with many successes. These include the following:

  • Measure C was passed, increasing revenues by over $4 million/year for seven years
  • The Northeast Antioch annexation is 90% complete
  • Hiring sworn police officers and other police personnel is well underway
  • Code enforcement funding has been increased and additional staff will be hired
  • A new City Manager was hired
  • The strategic planning process is nearing completion
  • Maintained cooperative relationships with all employee bargaining units
  • Monitored and protected City’s water rights
  • Continued High Purity Water Treatment Initiative
  • Advocated successfully for Antioch related to various WETA activities
  • EBART and Highway 4 project management continued
  • Third Cops Grant application is underway
  • Senior staff was reorganized to improve process management, increase cost effectiveness and to respond opportunities that develop during the economic recovery

BUDGET DECISIONS

During budget development, much of our attention was focused on the General Fund, where general revenues are held to support the day to day operations of the City. The City does, however, have several other Funds that together comprise the entire fiscal picture of the City.

Total city wide revenue receipts are projected at $107,613,111 for 2014-2015 and $107,806,878 for 2015-2016 and are broken down by fund as follows:

Antioch Fiscal Year 14.15 Revenue

(click image to enlarge)

REVENUES – ALL CITY FUNDS FUND Proposed 2014-2015 Projected 2015-2016

Total City wide expenditures are projected at $124,961,459 for 2014-2015 and $118,762,409 for 2015-2016 and are broken down by fund as follows.

Antioch Fiscal Year 14.15 Expenditures

(click image to enlarge)

EXPENDITURES – ALL CITY FUNDS

Some final budget highlights for fiscal year 2015 are outlined below.

  • Balanced budget for fiscal year 2015, with the addition of $2,914 to reserves.
  • 5% increase in property tax and $450,000 additional property tax projected for the Northeast Annexation areas.
  • 1.8% increase in sales tax (excluding Measure C).
  • $4,489,747 in projected Measure C revenues committed to Police and Code Enforcement services.
  • No funding for maintenance of the downtown library owned by Contra Costa County.
  • No earthquake insurance for the Police facility or City Hall.
  • Work furloughs and salary reductions still in place.

RESERVE POLICIES

The City’s current reserve policy continues to establish reserves for the following items:

  • General Reserves – General Fund Unassigned Fund balance of the City will be a minimum of 10% of General Fund operating revenues, with a goal of reaching or maintaining a reserve level of 15% of General Fund operating revenues. This budget projects a reserve of 15.36% as June 30, 2015.
  • Replacement Reserves – Reserves for replacement of capital equipment in the Office Equipment Replacement Fund and the Vehicle Replacement Fund.
  • Mandated Liabilities Reserve – Reserves for compensated absences will be set at 20% of the total compensated absences liability provided in the previous year’s annual audit. This budget maintains the reserve at 5%.
  • Litigation/Insurance Reserve – Reserves for litigations and insurance deductibles (either third party or self-insurance) will be set at ten times the City’s self-insured retention. This budget sets a reserve of $500,000 due to increased deductibles for property insurance claims.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Because of steep declines in property values from 2007 through 2010, Antioch property owners have seen their property tax burden reduced significantly. At the same time, the recession also reduced sales tax revenue. So while real property owners have experienced significant reductions in property taxes, this along with reduced sales taxes, directly translated into reduced City services. It will be a number of years until property taxes and sales taxes will be sufficient to support an acceptable level of City services.

However, over the last couple of years, the general economy has improved and the level of residential development within the Bay Area has increased. The impact and consequences for those local and regional economies reliant on new housing construction are just beginning to be felt in the form of increased property tax and sales tax. Antioch is experiencing a healthy amount of pre-development activity in residential, retail, commercial and industrial development. The upward price pressure on housing is pushing from Silicon Valley and San Francisco through the inner Bay Area and the I-680 corridor toward Antioch, which is a good value in comparison. The completion of the State Route 4 widening and the e-BART station will help support jobs and housing in Antioch. In addition, the annexation of over 500 acres along the northeast shoreline provides an area where commercial and industrial development can produce local jobs, as well as property and sales tax.

Over the long run, Antioch and the rest of east Contra Costa County, is well positioned to take advantage of improvements in the Bay Area economy.

FUTURE CHALLENGES

The City Council also has other projects and plans that will enrich the City and make Antioch an even more enjoyable place to live, work and play. I look forward to helping focus and guide us through these objectives which include:

  • Maintain oversight of strategic plan implementation
  • Direct use of Measure C funds for the expansion of Police Department and Code Enforcement hiring and operations
  • Pursue revenue generating opportunities
  • Continue local and regional economic development collaboration to create jobs and expand the City’s tax base
  • Promote Antioch as a place to grow businesses and families
  • Maintain proactive approach to City water rights
  • Maintain oversight over City and Enterprise expenditures
  • Maintain strong relationships with Antioch Unified School District
  • Increase economic development efforts, locally and regionally
  •  Seek expanded local employment opportunities for Antioch residents
  • Initiate downtown revitalization effort
  • Streamline and improve the City’s business processes
  • Complete the Northeast area annexation
  • Continue to monitor and protect the City’s water rights
  • Continue to implement High Purity Water Treatment Initiative
  • Continue to successfully advocate for Antioch related to various WETA activities
  • Continue monitoring EBART and Highway 4 project
  • Continue to work with adjacent cities to explore cost sharing and interagency cooperation

Special recognition should be given to the dedicated staff and the significant contributions they made to get the City through these challenging times.

I also want to acknowledge and thank all of the individuals who assisted in development and production of this budget. The staff and I look forward to working with the City Council to implement the FY 2014-2015 Adopted Budget and continue to improve the fiscal stability of the City.

Respectfully submitted,

Steve Duran
City Manager

To review the budget in full, visit the City of Antioch website and select the June 10, 2014 meeting agenda

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8 comments

JimSimmons42 Jun 9, 2014 - 10:25 am

ECT – just call it for what it is. They are using Measure C funds to fill positions that were already supposed to be filled. What a sham this is. I have officially lost all faith in the City Council and will be supporting other candidates this November.

Antioch needs to answer this question tomorrow. How do you add $4 million to a budget and still lost 2 positions?

Amy Jul 14, 2014 - 9:17 am

I agree! The people of Antioch need to vote in other candidates to the City Council. Antioch’s number one priority should be curbing crime. Period!

Joe Positive Jun 9, 2014 - 10:29 am

I am not 100% happy because this is lipstick on a pig but I this is better than the first staff proposal. Glad to see the Council did something right in making sure the funds went were they were promised.

Barbara Jun 9, 2014 - 1:00 pm

If there are more officers hired than last year, I’d say Measure C was worth it. Who cares what the final numbers are. We just need more officers on the street.

Marty Fernandez Jun 9, 2014 - 2:27 pm

Because of the two types of retirement there are no more officers on the street and then there are a few on disability etc. So really less on the street

Marty Fernandez Jun 9, 2014 - 2:25 pm

The answer to the question is more have retired and gone on retirement disability than we have hired. I believe the number was 14. My memory is over worked today but I think 14.

Chuck Jun 9, 2014 - 5:56 pm

Time for people to purchase goods elsewhere until the City Council reiterates it’s promise regarding Police.

Reginald Jamal Brown Jul 14, 2014 - 11:30 am

Reducing crime has never been a goal for the mayor and the 2 council members. If crime was reduced to a safe level, they wouldn’t be able to scare you into giving them more money.

For example, Measure C wouldn’t have passed if our city was safe. Keeping you voters scared is the key to getting what they want.

Comments are closed.